The United States men's national soccer team has advanced to the knockout stage of the World Cup following a 2-0 victory against Bosnia and Herzegovina. However, the win was tempered by a red card shown to star forward Folarin Balogun, who will miss the team's upcoming match against Belgium.
Balogun, who scored his third goal of the tournament in the match, was sent off late in the game for a challenge on Bosnia and Herzegovina's Tarik Muharemovic. The referee deemed the studs-up tackle on Muharemovic's ankle and calf area to be serious enough for a red card, a decision that may have significant repercussions for the U.S. in the next round. Despite playing with 10 men after Balogun's dismissal, the United States managed to extend their lead through a close-range free-kick from Malik Tillman.
In other overnight action, Belgium secured a dramatic 3-2 victory over Senegal in extra time. Youri Tielemans scored a late penalty, completing a comeback for Belgium after Senegal had held a two-goal lead. The match was not without controversy, as VAR reviewed a penalty decision in the final minutes, which Belgium converted to force extra time. Senegal also experienced a penalty incident during the shootout preparation, adding to the late-game drama.
The tournament has already seen early exits for several highly ranked European teams, including Germany and the Netherlands. Belgium, a team featuring established players like Kevin De Bruyne and Romelu Lukaku, narrowly avoided a similar fate.
Meanwhile, singer Harry Styles was reportedly seen celebrating England's winning goal against DR Congo from Wembley Stadium, where he is in the midst of a concert residency. Videos of his enthusiastic reaction circulated widely on social media. John Terry, former Chelsea defender, was also in attendance at an England match.
Looking ahead, attention turns to upcoming knockout matches, including Cristiano Ronaldo's pursuit of his first World Cup knockout goal as Portugal faces Croatia, and Spain's attempt to break a streak of post-championship knockout match losses when they play Austria. Switzerland's Johan Manzambi, a breakout star of the tournament, will also be in action against Algeria.